7 Best Phono Preamps of 2024

When you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Whether you just started your journey in the realm of high-fidelity or want to upgrade your existing audio system to improve your listening experience, a good-quality phono preamp can be a game changer for audiophiles of all levels.

A phono preamp, or phono stage, is a crucial component in audio reproduction responsible for amplifying and equalizing the low-level signal produced by the turntable's cartridge.

Although many stereo amplifiers and some record players come with a built-in phono preamp, the flexibility of owning a standalone phono preamp can help you craft a unique sound, giving you endless customization options as your taste in music becomes more refined.

Just like everything in the world of music and audio, there’s an endless amount of phono preamps available, with prices ranging between $20 and tens of thousands of dollars.

Today we’ll take a look at some of the best phono preamps in the market, focusing on widely available preamps that won’t break the bank but still deliver an excellent sound.

While I do believe the Rega Fono MM Mk5 offers the best value for money and provides an exceptional sonic experience, all the phono preamps in the list below can help you upgrade your sound system and perfectly reproduce the warmth and vibrancy of your records.

Best Phono Preamps

1. Best Phono Preamp Under $100 – Pro-ject Phono Box MM

SPECS

• Gain: 40 dB
• Frequency Response: 20 Hz - 20 kHz
• Moving Magnet: Yes
• Moving Coil: Yes

You might already be familiar with the minimalist design of the beautiful Pro-Ject turntables, and the Phono Box MM is a preamp that embodies the aesthetics and build quality of the renowned Austrian company.

Compatible with both MM (moving magnet) and MC (moving coil) cartridges, the Phono Box MM is a versatile entry-level preamp that performs well and costs little. The sound coming out of this preamp is rich and detailed, with accurate sound imaging devoid of noise and carefully balanced.

If you want to spend less than $100 and still make the most of your sound system, the Pro-Ject Phono Box MM is probably the best you can get for your budget.

But if you’re a fan of both Pro-Ject and tube preamps, then look no further than the Pro-Ject Tube Box S2: a versatile and powerful tube preamp that can enhance the smoothness and warmth of your listening room. More on that later.

2. Best Phono Preamp Overall – Rega Fono MM MK5

SPECS

• Gain: 41.4 dB
• Frequency Response: 15 Hz - 100 kHz
• Moving Magnet: Yes
• Moving Coil: No

Perhaps best known for its successful Planar, one of the most beloved turntable series among music enthusiasts, the Rega Fono MM Mk5 is a magnificent phono stage for moving magnet cartridges, the latest update of the Fono MM series that can satisfy the needs of both beginners and seasoned audiophiles.

The performance of the Fono MM Mk5 exceeds all expectations, with a complementary amplifier input stage that delivers a cohesive soundstage, extremely accurate and noise free.

You’ll be impressed by the music's spatiality and the enhanced transients, which can upgrade the immersiveness of your record collection.

Unless you’re willing to spend thousands of dollars to achieve optimal accuracy, the Rega Fono MM Mk5 will no doubt meet your expectations and revolutionize your listening room.

But if the Mk5 is too expensive, you can check out the Rega Fono Mini A2D MK2, which might not be as detailed as the MM Mk5 but costs half the price and comes with USB output.

3. Best Tube Phono Preamp – Pro-ject Tube Box S2

SPECS

• Gain: adjustable gain, 40, 43, 50, 60, 63 dB
• Frequency Response: 20 Hz - 25 kHz
• Moving Magnet: Yes
• Moving Coil: Yes

If you're not into solid state phono preamps, the Pro-Ject Tube Box S2 might well be the best option for you.

This excellent tube phono preamp is compatible with both MC and MM cartridges; it comes with replaceable tubes, customizable input impedance settings, and a rich stereo image that make it a great phono stage for those who want to create a timeless, analog vibe in their listening room.

The 12AX7A tubes perform magnificently, delivering a warm sound ideal for relaxed listening sessions, with seamless RIAA equalization and low-noise circuitry that'll enhance the quality of your audio equipment and records.

However, if sonic transparency is what you value the most, I'd suggest opting for solid state preamps, as they tend to add less coloration to the signal.

4. Best Solid State Preamp Under $200 – iFi ZEN Phono

SPECS

• Gain: Adjustable gain, 36, 48, 60, 72dB
• Frequency Response: 5 Hz - 50 kHz
• Moving Magnet: Yes
• Moving Coil: Yes

The iFi ZEN Phono is an affordable option that does everything it should and then some. Designed to be as noise-free as possible, thanks to an excellent noise filtration system and impressive noise floor of -151dBV, this preamp is definitely one of the best within its price range.

With an RIAA EQ tolerance level of +/- 0.15dB, you can rest assured the sound coming out of the iFi ZEN Phono will be balanced and transparent. 

When it comes to sound, the ZEN Phono does a good (albeit not excellent) job with a punchy and crisp sound that will give your records the vibrancy they deserve.

However, if you’re using a low-output cartridge, chances are the sound will lose its clarity, which shouldn’t happen even when using an affordable preamp.

All in all, the iFi ZEN Phono is a good phono preamp for the money, but if you can invest a little more and want a phono stage that’ll last for years, there are better options.

5. Best Phono Preamp Under $100 - Runner Up – Fluance PA10

SPECS

• Gain: 38 dB
• Frequency Response: 20 Hz - 20 kHz
• Moving Magnet: Yes
• Moving Coil: No

I’m a big fan of Fluance, a Canadian brand that for years has designed excellent products that make high-fidelity accessible to anyone.

At just over $100, the PA10 is a performing phono stage with a selectable high pass filter and highly accurate EQ, bringing to life detailed, resonance-free sound imaging.

Built-in solid wood with a minimalist yet timeless design, the PA 10’s main highlight is its sound: immersive and clear, with balanced circuitry and a low impedance output stage that maximizes the soundstage’s clarity while mitigating resonance and distortion.

The result is vivid stereo imaging that gives transparent signal reproduction without unwanted resonances, also thanks to the patented Subsonic Rumble Filtering.

So, is this the best phono stage? Maybe not. It comes with no volume control or power buttons, which can be a downside for some.

Furthermore, at this price range, competition is tough. However, the Fluance PA10 is one of those great affordable preamps you should consider when upgrading your sound system.

6. Best Phono Preamp Overall - Runner-up – Schiit Mani 2

SPECS

• Gain: Adjustable gain, 33, 42, 48, 60dB
• Frequency Response: 20 Hz - 20 kHz
• Moving Magnet: Yes
• Moving Coil: Yes

Flexible, accurate, and powerful, the Schiit Mani 2 has been one of my favorite phono preamps for some time, as it delivers a sonic performance you’d expect from products three or for time its price.

The Mani 2 handles both MM and MC cartridges, making it a versatile solution for both beginner audiophiles and those who already own a good-quality sound system.

The Mani 2 offers exceptional low-noise performance, and it does so thanks to a passive RIAA network containing precision film capacitors with a 2% tolerance and thin-film resistors.

Together with the option of a switchable 1- or 2-pole passive LF filter, this budget-friendly phono preamp delivers remarkable transparency and accuracy.

Highly versatile and customizable, the Schiit Mani 2 is a great phono preamp that will make the most of your audio gear and bring to life a powerful and cohesive sound, regardless of your equipment.

7. Best Budget Phono Preamp for MM/MC Phono Cartridge – Musical Fidelity V90-LPS

SPECS

• Gain: Not specified
• Frequency Response: 20 Hz - 20 kHz
• Moving Magnet: Yes
• Moving Coil: Yes

The V90-LPS is an excellent MM/MC phono preamp with accurate RIAA correction (+0.3dB from 20Hz to 20kHz), incredibly low distortion and noise, and a wide overload threshold.

The sound coming out of a V90-LPS is rich and detailed regardless of your setup, with good sound imaging and channel separation that’ll satisfy the needs of music enthusiasts on a budget.

All in all, this is a versatile and reliable phono stage that might not outshine more blazoned brands but still does a great job, with a pristine reproduction devoid of noise and with flawless musical accuracy.

Best Phono Preamps Buyer's Guide

Now that you know which are some of the best phono stages in the market, it’s time to understand how you can identify one that suits your needs.

As always, it all comes down to your expectations and budget, but in the case of phono preamps, it’s also vital to ensure seamless compatibility with your existing gear. Let’s delve deeper into this.

Compatibility

The first thing you should do is ensure the phono preamp you chose is compatible with your turntable’s cartridge. Some preamps are compatible only with moving coil cartridges or with moving magnet cartridges, while others can work with both cartridges.

Entry-level phono stages often provide compatibility with both cartridges, but they might not offer the same reproduction quality as you use the MM or MC settings.

Although buying a preamp that’s designed exclusively for your cartridge type will most likely deliver better performance, the risk is you might have to replace both your turntable and phono preamp once you decide to upgrade your sound system.

Solid State vs. Tube Phono Preamps

A tube phono preamp uses vacuum tubes to amplify the signal instead of transistors like the solid state phono stages. As a result, the audio will sound warmer and smoother with a vacuum tube phono stages, creating an immersive and enjoyable listening experience.

However, a tube phono preamp does come with some caveats: these types of phono stages are generally more expensive, require a warm-up time (around ten minutes), and you'll need to replace the valves once they wear out.

Sound Quality

Sound quality is a highly subjective topic, and in the realm of high-fidelity audio, there are so many factors involved that it’s often difficult to identify how much a phono preamp is actually affecting the quality of audio reproduction.

However, there are certain measurements that can be made to analyze the impact of a phono preamp on our hi-fi system.

First off, checking the frequency response of a phono preamp will give you an overview of how faithfully it reproduces the audio signal across the spectrum.

Next, the total harmonic distortion (THD) indicates the level of distortion the preamp adds to the phono signal: the lower THD values, the better.

Finally, the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) indicates how much the desired signal compares to the background noise introduced by the preamp. A higher SNR means better signal clarity.

All in all, the most crucial aspect when buying a new phono stage is the noise level: as the preamp amplifies the low-level signal of the turntable, it might amplify the noise of the cartridge, causing considerable quality loss.

And let’s not forget the dynamic range. A preamp’s wide dynamic range can enhance the depth and expressiveness of music, creating a more immersive soundscape.

Gain and Load

Gain and load settings on a phono preamp can help you make the most of your sound system and customize it according to your taste and listening environment.

The gain setting on a phono preamp determines how much the low-level signal from the cartridge is amplified before being transferred to the amplifier.

Your phono preamp should have adjustable gain settings to match the specific cartridge's output. If the gain is set too low, the sound may lack detail; if set too high, it can cause distortion and clipping.

The load setting affects how the phono preamp interacts with the cartridge. Since cartridges have different impedance and capacitance requirements, you can use this functionality to match the impedance of the cartridge to the input stage of the phono preamp.

If the load is not matched correctly, it can cause tonal imbalances and affect sound quality.

Budget

You can spend less than a hundred dollars to get a phono preamp (or even just $20 if you go for the Pyle Phono Turntable Preamp), or you can get a high-end phono preamp worth tens of thousands of dollars. Depending on who’s listening to the music, the difference in sound might be imperceptible or an abyss.

The phono preamps mentioned above are budget-friendly options that’d work well for both beginners and seasoned audiophiles looking for an affordable option to upgrade their sound system.

As your taste and knowledge in audio become more refined, you might feel the need to invest in an expensive phono preamp, but to me, the phono preamps listed above offer a solid performance that can meet the expectations of most music connoisseurs.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Why do I need a phono preamp?

If you want to listen to vinyl records, you’ll need a phono preamplifier, whether as a standalone component or built-in into your stereo amplifier or turntable.

The phono preamp amplifies the low-level electrical signal of the turntable cartridge to a level that allows it to be processed by your amplifier or receiver.

Aside from that, a phono preamp ensures the RIAA equalization curve is restored during reproduction while reducing noise levels caused by the cartridge to a minimum.

Finally, a phono preamp ensures seamless signal transfer and prevents any loss of audio quality by providing impedance matching between the cartridge and the amplifier.

How do I connect a phono preamp to my turntable and audio system?

You’ll need to use an RCA cable of your turntable to connect your phono preamp to your sound system. Most likely, you’ll have to connect the phono preamplifier to the stereo amplifier, which in turn will be connected to the speakers.

What is the difference between a moving magnet (MM) and moving coil (MC) phono preamp?

A moving magnet (MM) cartridge has a stylus attached to the cantilever, which is then connected to a magnet. The magnet moves within the coils of the cartridge, generating a signal as it passes on the grooves of a vinyl record.

Moving coil (MC) cartridges, on the other hand, are connected to coils of wire which move within a magnetic field, generating a low-voltage signal.

In terms of sound quality, a moving magnet cartridge provides a warmer, less transparent sound, whereas an MC cartridge has a more accurate and detailed sound.

While most phono preamps work with either one or the other type of cartridge, some affordable tube phono preamps offer compatibility with both options.

What is the difference between an internal and external phono preamp?

Some amplifiers and turntables come with a built-in phono stage, meaning you won’t need to buy a standalone preamp to play your records.

While built-in phono preamps simplify the setup process, they also limit your customization options and the potential future upgrade of your sound system, so a separate phono preamp is a better investment if you're serious about your listening experience.

How do I troubleshoot issues with my phono preamp, such as humming or distortion?

If your phono stage is causing humming or distortion, first check and secure all connections: touch the RCA cables to see if they’re in working order, and if the hums increase while you touch them, replace the cables.

Next, ensure the grounding wire is properly connected and avoid electronic interference as much as possible. If all else fails, test different components like turntables and cartridges.

How do I properly maintain and clean my phono preamplifier?

Wipe the exterior with a soft cloth, regularly check if cable connections are secure and in working order, and avoid using liquids to clean it.

Final Thoughts

And that’s all you need to know to buy a high-quality phono preamplifier and upgrade your sound system!

In short, if you’re looking for the best affordable preamp, look no further than the Rega Fono MM Mk5: it’s a highly versatile preamp that’ll give you the accuracy and sonic detail you need to fully appreciate your records.

Alternatively, the Schiit Mani 2 is another phenomenal preamp that brings to life a cohesive, noise-free soundstage.

Happy listening!